Women’s Land Rights in Pakistan: Laws, Policies, and Practices

Abstract

This research paper explores how institutional systems, patriarchy, and elements of dominant culture impede women’s land ownership rights in Pakistan. A survey conducted in rural Punjab by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission revealed that only 36 out of 1,000 women possessed property rights, with a mere nine able to sell or trade property without male consent. The study investigates the primary factors contributing to Pakistan’s poor state of women’s land rights using a directed qualitative content analysis approach, drawing upon both primary and secondary archival data. The findings highlight that a combination of laws—including religious codes, state legislation, and tribal customs—along with policies and entrenched cultural practices, collectively hinder women’s access to land rights. There is an urgent need for new interpretations of legal and religious obligations, eradicating harmful customs, and implementing awareness programs to educate families about women’s rights to own and control property.